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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29438061">Bold Moves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tptigger/pseuds/tptigger'>tptigger</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Discovery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Reestablished Relationship, post episode: s03e02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:03:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>907</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29438061</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tptigger/pseuds/tptigger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul needs to rest after being healed from his ordeal in the Jeffries tube</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bold Moves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A wrote the first draft of this story between the airing of episodes 2 and 3, and it's meant to take place between them. *hand waves*</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Getting Paul out of the Jeffries Tube had been a nightmare. Fortunately, the reopening of his wound hadn't been too bad. That said, Hugh had parked himself by the cellular regeneration chamber while it ran, idly scrolling through his padd while Paul dozed. The regeneration chamber dinged when the fifth cycle was complete.</p><p>"Am I overdone?" Paul joked, feeling sleepy.</p><p>"You're just right." Hugh pressed a couple of buttons looking over the scans. "You're ready to leave sickbay. Please promise me that you'll go straight back to our--I mean your quarters and get some rest?" Hugh asked as he started releasing the cell regeneration chamber equipment.</p><p>"I'll promise to go there if you start calling them our quarters on purpose." Paul grinned.</p><p>"Bold move."</p><p>"And following me into the future isn't?"</p><p>Hugh looked at him for what felt like ages, then beamed. "Deal. I'll be home after my shift." He offered Paul a hand. "Get up slowly; even with five cycles of regen you're going to be sore for a while."</p><p>Paul took Hugh's hand, getting up slowly. Everyone was safe, he could rest now. Once he was steady on his feet, Paul leaned over, giving Hugh a quick peck on the cheek. "I look forward to it."</p><p>"To sleep," Hugh said, firmly.</p><p>Paul wondered if that was because Hugh was tired or because he, Paul, wasn't medically cleared. Didn't matter. If he was honest with himself, <em>he was too tired too</em>. "And snuggle?"</p><p>Hugh smiled. "You'll wake up in my arms, now go get some rest."</p><p>Paul nodded, heading in the direction of the turbolift.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Hugh yawned as he approached the door to <strike>his</strike> <strike>Paul's</strike> his quarters. He hit his palm on the lock, unthinking.</p><p>The door slid open.</p><p>There was no way that someone had had time to add his palm print to the lock in the hour or so since Hugh had essentially agreed to move back in. Which meant that Paul had never gotten around to removing it. The hopeless romantic.</p><p>Hugh stepped through, pleasantly surprised to see the lights were dim--light was streaming out from the bathroom, so that Hugh could see without waking Paul up. Routine from when he occasionally had the night shift.</p><p>Paul was laying on his side, the blanket having been shoved down around his waist. He was wearing his red pajama pants, but instead of the standard issue red top, he was wearing a white t-shirt that read: <em>My partner brought me out of a coma and all I got was this lousy t<b>-</b>shirt</em>. His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of sleep.</p><p>Hugh stifled a laugh as he slung his find-it-quick bag from when he'd been packed to go to the Enterprise with his shaving kit, pajamas, and a fresh uniform onto the couch. He wondered if he should be mad except: a) Paul was sound asleep, and that shirt probably fabricated in the time it would've taken him to take a (desperately needed) shower, so he'd kept his promise and b) it was pretty funny.</p><p>He'd have to tease Paul mercilessly that his latest joke had been Hugh's own idea in the morning. For now, he wanted a shower. He stripped off his old uniform and tossed it in the matter recycler--this one was toast.</p><p>He went into the bathroom, letting the door slide soundlessly shut behind him.</p><p>He blinked in the brighter light, taking in a shadow on the vanity by the sink.</p><p>And then he did laugh. Because sitting on the vanity was a pair of pajama pants (very thoughtful, thanks, Paul) and a t-shirt, in the same color, with a matching font that read <i>My partner brought me  back from the mycelial network and all I got was this lousy t<b>-</b>shirt.</i>.</p><p>Hugh chuckled as he started the shower. He'd been regretting his promise to move back in right away, but no it was the right call. Besides missing Paul's occasional silliness, he was looking forward to snuggling up to him.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Paul woke feeling warm and snug, the feel of Hugh's bare arms against his skin. He leaned back, reveling in the feeling of being held.</p><p>It had been too long.</p><p>"Morning, love," Hugh said softly.</p><p>"Hey," Paul murmured, sleepily. "It wasn't a good dream? Having you back."</p><p>"Not a dream," Hugh replied softly. "And thanks for the t-shirt."</p><p>Paul laughed. "It was too tempting not to."</p><p>"I like yours, too," Hugh said.</p><p>"You should, it was your idea," Paul said. "When are you back on shift?"</p><p>"Pollard and Mendez informed me that they didn't want to see me until tomorrow morning. Seem to think I'd be cranky if I had to leave you."</p><p>Paul smiled. "I think I'd be cranky if you had to leave me." He turned to face Hugh, reaching up to cup his face. "I missed you so much."</p><p>"I missed you too."</p><p>Paul blinked. </p><p>"We should probably talk about some stuff," Hugh said.</p><p>"After breakfast?" Paul suggested.</p><p>Hugh's stomach rumbled. "That's a good idea."  He pulled Paul into a tight hug.</p><p>"Mmm," Paul said. "This isn't moving towards breakfast."</p><p>"I think we've both earned a morning snuggle," Hugh said. "You nearly got yourself killed twice and I made sure you didn't get killed twice."</p><p>Paul chuckled. He was still in trouble, but Hugh loved him anyway. Anything else they could work out with a little time.</p><p>End</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Many thanks to Cygfa for Hugh's t-shirt idea!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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